Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

God is a strong advocate of capital punishment. "The wages of sin is death... But let's be clear. Death by capital punishment comes to a swift end. God is not an advocate of cruel and unusual punishment like the doctrine of eternal conscious torment. God loves His enemies and after the death penalty is administered, He intends to give them eternal life. ...but the free gift of God is eternal life..." (Romans 6:23) This "free gift" was one of the mysteries revealed by God to the Apostle Paul. "When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations..." (Ephesians 3:5) Down through the years only a few people have tortured others. Much of the torturing was done by political or religious leaders in their wrath against "infidels." But that behavior is how wicked men treat their enemies, not God. When God's wrath is poured out on wicked men it is swift an...

“In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk! And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.” (Acts 3:6-8) What exactly caused this man to be healed? Modern day faith healers would say it was the FAITH of Peter, John and the lame man – and/or the collective prayer of the Saints…as if prayer and faith are currency given to God in exchange for the lame man’s healing. However, it clear to me that the lame man was healed BECAUSE IT WAS GOD’S PLAN TO HEAL HIM. It had nothing to do with the purchasing power of PRAYER or FAITH. You cannot can buy stuff from God. So why did God miraculously heal him? Well the context of Miracles in the Bible is always to confirm the word of God. So in this case it would have been to demonstrate to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. These miracles to confirm the Word of...

Israel was in comfortable exile in Babylon when Jeremiah reminded them of God’s plan for them…. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." (Jeremiah 29:11-14) About 14 years ago I found myself a captive, but comfortable member of a church, exiled there by God it seems to me, much like the children of Israel were exiled to Babylon. In the grace of God I realized that it was not an ideal place for me to grow in the grace and knowledge of God and Christ Jesus, but a temporary sanctuary from life in a...

Does the bible give a summary of God's Plan for His creation? It was given to Paul it seems to me and he shares it in at least two places as follows: "For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it." (Romans 8:19-25) NOTE...